1- Where did you grow up?
I grew up near Stuttgart, in the bloody south of Germany, and enjoyed one of those classic geek kids childhoods, where we would build boats, rockets, or spaceships in the neighbor's back yard, much to our parent's displeasure.
2- What is one of the first songs you remember liking as a kid?
My earliest music memories date back to around 1985 where hits like "Take On Me" or "Maria Magdalena" left a lasting impression. I come from a very musical family, however, my taste of 80s pop was never very much aligned with theirs. Later things like Enigma's MCMXC and The KLF had me. Pretty much the entire early MTV as soon as we got cable television.
3- What influenced you to get into music?
I was more or less forced to learn the piano at an early age, but it wasn't until I got a cheesy electronic keyboard (Casio CT-350), that I really got into music and composition. At least at that point my parents somehow saw some potential and upgraded me to a Yamaha PSR 500 one day, which had a decent selection of sounds and a sequencer. Of course, it sounded trashy but as a kid, it was absolute awesomeness.
4- At what age did you start playing/singing?
The whole "he gotta learn to play" started at around 6 or 7, but I think it took me until I was 10 to develop a genuine interest on my own. And only then do you really advance.
5- If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself after finishing school?
Let's just assume this is only about music because everything else I would tell myself would really not belong here. I would talk my dad into buying more useful synths and keep myself from selling my vintage gear in the early 00s. Who knew all that stuff would be useful again one day. Unfortunately, I kept only the cheap ones and got rid of all those that would be really worth something today. So yeah. "keep the smelly CS-80, even though it doesn't even have midi" would definitely be my number one advice to myself.
6- What are some of your favorite songs at the moment?
I adore Shadowrunners Debut Album, as well as my buddy Syst3m Glitche's, his tune Raining In Tokyo is on repeat for months now and always soothes me, as well as everything from MicromatScenes. But I honestly couldn't tell you what's on the charts, nor do I listen to a lot of other artists outside of my genre. Heck, I don't even know half of the people in synthwave.
7- Do you listen to your own music?
That's exactly the problem. I do! And I do it a lot. Only when a song really doesn't annoy me after a while, it's good enough to be released. And the fact that I'm addicted to even my own music, the synth sounds, the tone, and the story, shows me I did something right. They were in my head at some point, and they wanted out, so I can enjoy them without having to imagine them all the time. So in a way, I did myself a favor :)
8- Which musician would you like to collaborate with next?
So far all my dream collaborations have come true. For the next album, there will be a few surprises I can't talk about yet, just to keep the level of suspense. Real biggies, though! If I had to think outside the scene and start fantasizing, it would always be Lauren from CHVRCHES and Annie Lennox, in that order.
9- What is one of your favorite memories so far in your music career?
Mont many big moments have happened yet, but making music has helped me through a lot. Finally having an album ready for release after a year of hard work, and then getting lovely feedback from people who actually listened and were moved by it, that's invaluable. The little things really, someone saying how one of your songs touched their heart means so much, and I am ever so thankful for that. Just connecting with friends over music, meeting wonderful people who think alike. We have just started, and many memories are yet to come.
10- What advice would you give to someone that is just starting to get into music?
We live in a time where you can do anything, with a simple PC from home. No need for fancy expensive hardware and studios anymore, but this also means, that everyone is doing it, so you need to stand out. Get those basics right, learn your music theory, listen to and analyze what is out there, and get to know the tools of the trade. This can be literally any DAW you feel comfortable in, and really learn to work it blindfolded.
Don't waste too much time on YouTube tutorials, just start to compose and develop a feeling for what you want to tell and how you can convey your message through music. Don't get lost in too much technical stuff and see music as a language to express yourself. The best mixing techniques and most expensive synths will do nothing for you if you have nothing to say. Once music has become your second language, everything falls into place on its own.
Morphoice released a new album titled "Vinyl City" this past June. Check out more of his music, photos and videos at his profile page by clicking below:
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